2016 Pakistan Super League Final

Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United finished the group stage in second and third positions respectively on the league's points table.[7] Quetta won six out of eight games in the group stage and finished second on the table with 12 points.[7] Quetta batted second in seven of their matches and chased the tournament's highest total, 201 against Lahore Qalandars in their last group match.[8] Islamabad began the tournament with four defeats in their first six matches, but won their last two group stage matches to qualify for the playoffs in third place with eight points.

The match was played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium – the same venue at which the opening match of the league was also played between the two teams. Two days before the final all tickets were sold out.[4]

The toss was won by Islamabad who chose to bowl first. Their captain Misbah-ul-Haq explained the decision by stating that dew could develop later in the second innings of the game, making it harder to field last. Both teams were unchanged from their respective previous matches.[9]

Quetta's innings began with opener Bismillah Khan being dismissed caught behind for 0 in the first over off Mohammad Irfan.[1] Kevin Pietersen then joined the opener Ahmed Shehzad and was dismissed by Andre Russell after scoring a run-a-ball 18. Kumar Sangakkara and Ahmed Shehzad scored fifties to help the total to 174/7 in 20 overs.[9] Andre Russell took three wickets and became the leading wicket taker of the tournament.

Islamabad started the chase with Dwayne Smith and Sharjeel Khan hitting consecutive boundaries off Anwar Ali. Sharjeel was dismissed by Nathan McCullum after scoring 12 runs from 11 balls. Brad Haddin joined the Smith and both scored fifties with Misbah ul Haq scoring the winning runs in the 19th over.[3]